Eye Care Tips

The eyes often reveal a lot about our physical and emotional state. That’s why it’s so important to care for the eye area. What you may not know is that the skin in the eye area is the thinnest on the face, with no oil or sebaceous glands to naturally hydrate the delicate tissue. Additionally, there is a lot of stress put on this delicate tissue from the wear and tear of facial expressions. That’s also why it’s the first place to show signs of aging. It’s essential to maintain strong and resilient skin around the eyes by taking the extra time to care for them each and every day. The following tips will keep your eyes looking beautiful at any age.

• Consume less salt in your diet. It’s one of the most common concerns we have about our eyes – that puffy look that makes us look tired, stressed and unhappy. Fortunately, there are a number of things we can do to alleviate it. The first is to reduce your sodium intake. That is one of the most common causes of this condition.
• Drink more water and herbal teas. Dark circles appear under the eyes for three main reasons, either from allergies, lack of sleep or a genetic predisposition. They appear when the blood supply flowing beneath it is exposed through the thin tissue. Since there’s not too much we can do about the key culprits, we still can limit the appearance of darkness under the eyes. The most important tip is to drink lots of fluids throughout the day, either water or herbal teas are best. Staying hydrated will give you a vibrant glow and reduce its appearance. 
• Find the perfect eye crème and stick with it for life. The single most important thing you can do for your eyes is to start using an eye crème. Most eye crèmes are too light in texture so make sure that your eye crème is rich and dense enough so that it will form a barrier to reinforce elasticity in the delicate eye area. Also make sure that your eye crème contains essential fatty acids, a key ingredient for nourishing and restoring the skin around the eyes. This is no doubt the best investment you can make for the future of your skin, so start using an eye crème as early as 17 years of age.

The Big Business of Big Butts

Sir Mix A-Lot’s notorious ode to women with a little more junk in the trunk not only help propel him from Seattle’s underground hip-hop scene to superstar status, but it also put the national spotlight on a part of the body that has long been ignored—the booty.

It used to be that a slim physique was considered the standard of beauty. As such, women would go to extreme measures, such as anorexia and bulimia, to look like Kate Moss. However, Sir Mix A-Lot, along with a host of other black and brown rappers who have penned numerous tributes to women with big butts, helped to usher in a new standard of beauty—one based around a much healthier and fuller derriere.
The days of slim, waif models have been replaced by the “Sista” with the thick curves. But not just any curves, we’re talking about curves in all the “right” places, such as in the breasts, thighs and of course, the behind. This new appreciation for a different type of femininity seems to fit nicely into the changing aesthetic of the country; since the late 80s through 90s, everyone seems to be living in excess and embracing the mantra of “the bigger, the better.”

But despite this change in preference, women are still going to extremes to increase their measurements, which seem impossible to attain outside of genetics. Women have begun to put their backsides in the hands of the local plastic surgeon’s office after months of squats and leg lifts at the gym failed to achieve the desired shapely bottom. At an average of $4,000 + per bun, many patients must take out loans for the surgery or pay it back in mortgage-like installments.

But sometimes, these desperate women end up paying a more serious price.
Take for instance the story of Claudia Aderotimi, an aspiring rapper/singer from the UK, who traveled to Philadelphia for implants to add the much-desired fullness to her rear-end.  She’d hoped that the injections would help boost her career in the music industry, but instead the botched procedure cost her her life.
Aderotimi is not the first woman to have died from a botched butt implant procedure.  In 2009, Solange Magnano, a 38-year-old married mother of twins and former Miss Argentina, died three days after checking herself in for a buttock lift at a Buenos Aires clinic. In 2010, two sisters were arrested for practicing medicine without a license for the death of a 22-year old mother, who also had her backside injected with silicone.

It may seem a little pathetic, if not downright ridiculous to the rest of us, the lengths in which some women will go just to fit into an image.  But in light of stars such as Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardishian and Beyoncé, who own a portion of their careers to the plumpness of their derriere, it should come as no surprise that big booties have become big business.
And there is no shortage of savvy entrepreneurs willing to capitalize off of the insecurities of others as illustrated by the success of butt pad purveyors such as Booty Pop and Love My Bubbles.  The big butt has taken on global appeal; in the UK, thousands of women are lining up for herbal booty growing supplements, which contain ingredients used by farmers to bulk up chickens.

Of course, most historians are quick to draw correlations between today’s booty-craze to the exploitation of Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman, the large buttock black woman who was kidnapped from South Africa in the 17th Century and paraded around American and parts of Europe as a side show carnival act under her stage name Hottentot Venus. But the difference is that modern women, although clearly influenced by the imagery instilled in our culture, have become willing participants in this objectification.

While I am a firm believer that we should learn to love the skin that God gave us, I’m also not naïve to the fact that we do live in a very image based culture, one that has placed more value on beauty than any other personal attribute. But the sad realization is that for thousands, if not millions of young women globally, our obsession with one or two body parts is sending a message that it is more important to develop the breast and the behind as opposed to the heart and the brain.

Katy Perry for OPI Nail Polish! Awesome!

 

With her unique and fun style and personality, Katy Perry immediately managed to become an inspiration for her fans across the world both for her amazing singing talent as well as her one of a kind fashion sense. Those who consider Katy Perry a powerful style icon and who want to embrace a part of her brilliant sense of style will definitely have the chance to do so now that she decided to team up with OPI in an effort to make the world a more beautiful and glamorous place.

Taking into account her amazing influence in the fashion industry, Katy Perry's line will most likely prove to be a tough competition for Justin Bieber's nail polish line. Available now at Sephora stores.

Just like her vivacious spirit as well as her fun personality, the five nail polish shades in the collections are quite interesting and eye catching as well. The glamorous, intense metallic shades will definitely help women make a bold fashion statement and to stand out when it comes to style.
These intriguing shades have a few interesting names that makes them easier to remember. They are:

Teenage Dream (girly sparkly pink shade)

Not Like the Movies (an interesting silver metallic shade)

Last Friday Night ( a bold metallic blue shade)

The One That Got Away ( an intense dark berry shade)

Black Shatter (an beautiful black top coat that creates texture with the help of a cracked/leopard pattern when applied over another nail polish)

With the creativity and degree of originality of the collection it as well as her passion for exciting nail designs she often displays on the red carpet it becomes relatively obvious that Katy Perry will set a new standard when it comes to fabulous manicures.

 

Looking for Vegan Friendly or Natural Line of Makeup? Tarte is for You!

Founder and CEO Maureen Kelley

 

Tarte cosmetics' unique combination of skinvigorating ingredients, easy-to-use products, and fashion-forward packaging deliver professional results to the everyday woman. Think of it as health couture: wholesome, natural ingredients that are dressed to impress in runway-inspired compacts. Whether you want a natural swipe of sheer, vitamin-infused color or a smoky eye with va-va voom lashes, Tarte will serve up results that are simply chic and seriously healthy.

Available @ Sephora.com, Sephora stores and tartecosmetics.com

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil!

The best Eye Pencil ever, ever, ever! Never before has a pencil this creamy and brilliant been waterproof, too. Velvety-soft, this never-before-seen formula stays soft and creamy for blending (about 30 seconds), then dries down to a long-lasting finish that WILL NOT budge. Line eyes with a hint of color or go for the full artistic, multi-hued effect with the wide selection of lush tropical hues, deep metallics and unusually vibrant neutrals. Incredible with Urban Decay Eyeshadows!

Created with 50% moisturizing ingredients suspended in a sophisticated waterproof formula, 24/7 Eye Pencils offer long-lasting color and a dreamy, creamy feel when applied. With Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E and Cottonseed Oil.

Tips: 24/7 Eye Pencils are ideal for lining inner lids because the waterproof formula stays put. Just apply, try not to blink for a sec, and you've got immovable liner.

NARS Spring 2011 Collection!

 

The palette of jeweled earth tones is accented with shots of unexpectedly bright color. The NARS Spring 2011 Collection is the epitome of minimalism, reaching a sensual peak with fresh, forward color. Deep hues for eyes and nails are infused with a metallic finish that lends a subtly sleek finish. Cool compliments of sheer and sparkling lips pair with unexpected accents of parrot green and vivid blue. It all adds up to a look that’s indisputably modern.

NARS Spring 2011 Collection the highlights are below:
CALANQUE TRIO EYESHADOW, $45
A trio of gold infused platinum with silver flecks, light matte caramel and rich antique bronze steeped with gold

BATEAU IVRE DUO EYESHADOW, $33
Rich sky blue and a deep denim hue

NOUVEAU MONDE DUO EYESHADOW, $33
Metallic silver lilac and rich olive gold

HOLLYWOODLAND SOFT TOUCH SHADOW PENCIL, $24
Versatile pale gold

CELEBRATE SOFT TOUCH SHADOW PENCIL, $24
Parrot green

NANA LIP GLOSS, $24
Deep black grape

SUPER ORGASM LIP GLOSS, $24
Shiny, peachy-pink, laced with gold glitter

ANGELIKA LIP GLOSS, $24
Bright cotton candy pink infused with gold and silver sparkle

TZIGANE LIPSTICK, $24
Sheer, pink brandy

MADÈRE PURE MATTE LIPSTICK, $25
Nude-pink

DESPERADO NAIL POLISH, $17
Antique brass

Nicki Minaj in 7 inch Versace Heels!! Can you pull these off?

 

You ever wear a pair of hot shoes and did everything you could to make sure EVERYBODY saw them.  This seemed to be the case with Nicki Minaj who was spotted in some Versace DVEA Platform heels over the weekend while sight seeing in London.  Those shoes, as gorgeous as they look, measures 7 inches with a 3 inch platform.  Can you handle it?

and if you wondering about those bullet panel leggings....they are designed by Sass & Bide with damage of about $860 bucks.

I love my Clarisonic!

 

Beauties, all the rumors you’ve heard are true.

The Clarisonic Skin Care System ($195) is the best thing since sliced bread for taking care of that beautiful skin of yours.
This lovely little skin care brush is essentially a high-powered brush designed for cleansing the skin. It’s made by the same folks behind the Sonicare toothbrush and uses that same magical technology to produce 300+ brush rotations per minute.

The Clarisonic is gentle enough for sensitive skin and even helps the skin absorb products better. In fact, in the long run you will end up having to use less product because it will absorb in the skin much better. Also, countless dermatologists recommend it and use it in their practice…


For me personally, it helps keep my skin baby smooth and exfoliated. I get such a deep clean from the Clarisonic and I really love how it beeps when it’s time to move to a new section of your face.
Yes, this is a pricey product, but it is a true investment in your skin. If this little guy ever conks out on me, I will surely be purchasing a replacement with the quickness! It’s just that good.
If you’re looking for a less expensive alternative, there is also a smaller, travel-sized version, the Clarisonic Mia which retails for $149.
Happy cleaning and feel free to share your Clarisonic experiences in the comments section!